New York by Nick: West Village
This past week I ventured to the West Village in Manhattan. Located in the lower west of Manhattan, the West Village is bounded by 14th St. and Houston St. to the North and South and the Hudson River and Sixth Avenue from the West and East. It is known for the streets that are “off the grid” which are aligned with the Hudson River and angled to other streets which make them difficult to navigate at times. The West Village is easily accessible from the B, D, F, M, A, C, E, & 1 trains.
My first stop in the West Village was Buvette Gastrotheque, a restaurant/bar/cafe. It is inspired by European traditions of craft and design and it is evident when you walk in. Buvette looks just like a fusion of a bar and a French cafe. Stop in anytime of the day from 9am until 2am for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! I went for breakfast and got an omelet with leeks, spinach, and goat cheese. Everything on the menu looked declines and I will definitely be paying Buvette another visit.
After you’ve done some exploring and looking for celebrities or checking out the building that was used as the exterior for Friends you should pop into the IFC Center to check out a film. Known as an art house movie theater and extension of the Independent Film Channel they show a variety of independent and international films.
For my last stop I popped into Employees Only. EO is a speakeasy style bar/restaurant known for its craft cocktails. The vibe at EO is reminiscent of an exclusive club from an older time where bartenders cared about their craft and created the drinks as art. I went for something with whiskey in it, of course, and ordered the Quiet Storm which was comprised of Bulleit Bourbon, Red Tea-infused Vermouth, lemon juice, and ginger beer. Pop in to this cool spot for drinks or food but make sure to get there early because EO gets crowded quickly.
As usual, here is a list of other places you can visit in the West Village.
Libations:
Little Branch, Village Tavern, Bar Sardine, The Garret, Fat Cat, Highlands, Daddy-O, Johnny’s Bar, Galway hooker, Anfura, Blind Tiger Ale House, Wifie and Nell, White Horse Tavern, Stonewall, Arthur’s Tavern, The Other Room, Corner Bistro, Marie’s Crisis, or Dublin G
Eats:
Takashi, Morandi, Kin shop, Market Table, Joseph Leonard, Minettea Tavern, Aria Wine Bar,Ramen Thupka, Pearl Oyster Bar, Murray’s Cheese Bar, Blenheim Hill, Petite Abeille, Taim, The Spotted Pig, The Little Owl, or Annisa.
Activities:
Hudson River Park and Greenway, Jefferson Market Library Branch, Village Vanguard, Sex and the City building, Bleeker Park, Village Chess Shop, Blue Note, an off Broadway show, shopping on Bleeker St., or the new Whiteny Museum of Art which opens in May of 2015.
Photographed and edited by Nick Pierce
